Mushroom Rice

This Mushroom Rice is worthy of being a meal by itself! It’s packed with 750g / 1.5 lb of mushrooms and just 1 1/2 cups of rice. I hold back half the browned mushrooms to stir through at the end and cook half with the rice. This way, you get earthy mushroom flavour infused in the rice PLUS caramelised mushrooms PLUS the rice is stained with a gorgeous brown colour!

This one is for mushrooms lovers! Though….in all honesty, I know not of any mushroom haters. I’m a Banana Hater (slimy horrible, stinky thing!). I know a hater of all things “bouncy” (fish cakes, tofu etc), a capsicum hater, and a hater of all things that smell like…..errr…. wind. Egg, popcorn and corn apparently fall into this category.

But I’ve never heard of a Mushroom Hater. Have you??

This recipe is pretty straight forward. It has a giant mound of mushrooms in it – 750g / 1.5 lb to be exact – and the reason I’m sharing it is because mushrooms were on sale a few weeks ago at Harris Farm markets. $6.00 / kg, that’s $3.00 / lb. BARGAIN!

Yes I know they are “just” the button mushrooms, I would have been even more excited if they were Swiss Brown / Cremini Mushrooms. Nevertheless, I got two giant paper bags of them, almost 2 kg.

I know, I’m disgraceful. I set out to the shops with a list, but am so easily swayed by a bargain. So much of what you see on my site is dictated by something that I purchased in excess because it was on sale. 🙂

There are a couple of things I think I do differently to most Mushroom Rice recipes. Nothing schmancy, this is just the way I do it:

Stir through some browned mushrooms at the end – So brown them, then remove them, and add some of them back in at the end. This is because the mushrooms that are cooked with the rice lose their caramelisation and we all know what a fan I am of the golden bits. Always the best flavour!

Rice is stained brown from the mushrooms – If you cook the mushrooms on high heat and brown them nicely, the base of the pot will basically be entirely brown. And when the broth is added, it deglazes the pot so all that brown stuff* mixes into the broth and all that flavour ends up in the rice. You’ll see it in the video (below the recipe, where it always is!)

* I’m sure there’s a technical term for this, but as you know, I’m not a Cordon Bleu trained chef nor is creative writing a strength. So “brown stuff” it is! 😉

I’m very behind on responding to messages this week, I’m sorry for that. I’m having internet issues. That the internet service here is worse than in Kathmandu just baffles me. I’m told that NBN “should be” coming here in a few years. (“NBN” is a high speed internet infrastructure being rolled out across Australia). So even getting a post up today has been almost a miracle. I had to go to the library just to use their wifi to upload the video!

One for mushroom lovers! Worthy of being a meal in its own right, my two key tips to make an extra tasty mushroom rice are: 1) stir in half the browned mushrooms at the end 2) brown the mushrooms well so the base of the pot turns brown, then deglaze it with broth so all that flavour ends up in the rice as well as staining it a lovely earthy brown colour. The amount of liquid to rice ratio I use yields a tender just cooked rice that is fluffy. Recipe VIDEO below. Also, I've now shared a Baked Mushroom Rice!

Servings: 4- 8 people

Calories: 261kcal

Author: Nagi

Ingredients

2 - 3tbspolive oil, separated

30 g / 2 tbsp butter

750 g / 1.5 lb mushrooms, sliced 3 - 5 mm / 1/8 - 1/5" thick (Note 1)

2garlic cloves, minced

1small onion, finely diced

1 1/2cupslong grain rice(Note 2)

2 1/4 cups / 565 mlvegetable stock / broth(or chicken) (Note 3)

1 1/2 - 2cupssliced green onion / scallions

Optional: More butter to stir through

Instructions

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot over high heat. Add half the mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes until golden. Season with salt and pepper then remove and set aside.

If the pot is dry, another 1/2 - 1 tbsp oil, and add butter. When melted, add onions and garlic.

Cook for 30 seconds, then add remaining mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are lightly browned (they won't caramelise as well as the first batch) and the base of the pot is brown.

Add rice and a splash of broth. Mix so the brown stuff on the bottom of the pot mixes into the liquid. (Video below helpful here)

Once the base of the pot is clean, add remaining liquid. Place lid on, bring to a simmer then turn down to medium low.

Cook for 15 minutes or until there is no residual liquid (tilt pot to check).

Fluff rice using a fork or wooden spoon. OPTIONAL: Stir through more butter. 🙂 Serve!

Recipe Notes

1. Use any mushrooms you want, I used normal button mushrooms, it's even more mushroomy if you use Swiss Brown / Cremini mushrooms. Don't slice them too thin otherwise they literally disintegrate!

Mushrooms do "suck up" oil but don't be tempted to add more oil until the end if needed. When raw, mushrooms suck up the oil, but then as they cook, release water and the oil, so this helps them brown towards the end. But if you do find they are looking dry, add just 1 tsp towards the end of browning.

2. Basmati and jasmine would also be great here, comes out nice and fluffy like long grain rice. I find that medium and short grain rice is a bit sticky for my taste when cooked pilaf style. Risotto rice, sushi rice and paella rice are not suitable. Please use uncooked rice.

BROWN RICE: Follow recipe but use 2 1/2 cups liquid for tender, fluffy rice (or 2 3/4 cups for soft rice) and it will take around 45 minutes to cook on the stove (check at 35 minutes, then every 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed).

QUIONA: This will also work with quinoa but adjust the recipe as follows: rinse quinoa, use 3 cups of liquid (I would prob do 2 cups broth, 1 cup water), follow recipe but cook for 20 minutes.

3. The amount of liquid to rice ratio I use yields a tender just cooked rice that is fluffy. If you like your rice on the soft side, use 1/2 cup extra liquid but note that the rice will be stickier rather than fluffy like what you see in the video and photos.

4. SERVES: Makes around 7 cups of rice (packed) which will serve 8 as a side or 4 as a main. YES it's a lot but it will keep well in the fridge for a few days and it freezes well too!

5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 8 servings.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

Mushroom Rice recipe video! Note the part where I add some of the vegetable broth to deglaze the pot and it turns a dark brown colour, that’s why my rice is brown (and extra tasty! 😉 ).

LIFE OF DOZER

Related

Comments

I’ve always said that if I had one food that I was forced to live on for the rest of my life it would be rice (and soya sauce). I’ve made rice every way a person can think of, but most times the rice is just an excuse to use the soy sauce. I’ve never commented on a recipe in my 29(ish) years, but this one deserves a mention. For the first time I’ve foregone the soya sauce because it is not needed. The flavor of the mushrooms and garlic and everything else is PERFECT. I used cremini mushrooms and only had mushroom/beef broth so did a half and half. Even my husband (who never was a big rice fan) asked me to put it in his lunch tomorrow. GREAT recipe!!!!! and my first recipe post ever!

I noticed the baked version differed from the stove top version due to the addition of thyme. I did find out I don’t care for thyme ☺. Other than that I am totally addicted. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.

That’s all good Linda! We should all adjust to our own taste 🙂 I add thyme to the baked version to add a wee bit more flavour because it lacks the extra flavour you get from caramelising in the stove top version 🙂 N x

I’m really excited about this recipe, but my mushrooms left a TON of liquid, so I had no “bits”. I only used 2 cups of broth because I was afraid with that extra liquid that it would turn out soupy. So we’ll see what happens 15 minutes from now!

Can I just say this is the greatest rice recipe I have ever tried! Such a strong flavour combination and OMG once you start making it the smell is so prominent in the kitchen! I just love it so much! It’s only been a day since I had it with its leftovers and today I’m making double the batch! Only thing I changed was to add some dried parsley at the very end since I had no scallions.

I can’t seem to find how to post other than to reply. Mine did not turn out like in the picture. Could it be cause I used a ceramic pot so did not get the brown stuff on the bottom? I would use a lot less rice next ime.

Dear Nagi, Just got this recipe today 10/17/17, so my computer must be slow, since some of the comments appear
to be much earlier. Loved your Stove Top version of this recipe as it was absolutely fanstastical (New York Talk) and the flavor was superb!! Will try the Oven Version to see which one is better for me, but I think I will like your first version on the Stove Top.
Although I am born 100% Italian, I think some Asian influence crept in. (Thank you God) as I love Rice and Mushrooms,
Lo mein Noodles and lots of Japanese and Chinese Foods. Maybe it was all the Take-Out Chinese and Japanese Foodswhile I lived in New York City….Thanks be to God!!! I love everything you have ever shared with us, and some of your Mom’s as well……Wish I had a good Japanese friend who could school me better on your cooking……LOL
Nagi, you and Dozer are the best.
Thanks for sharing on the computer…..
Bobby XXXOOOXXX

I don’t often freeze meals, but next month I’m going to be working 6 days a week and over 12 hours a day. I want to make some meals ahead of time to have. Do you think this would freeze and reheat well enough?

Those luscious brown bits and goo at the bottom of the pan are called ‘fond’. I think I’ll add some browned, grass fed ground beef to this since as a diabetic, I need protein to balance out the starch.

This recipe was awesome! My girlfriends and I got together and made Pfeffer Schnitzel and this! We thought we had died and gone to heaven! This has earned the must repeat performance file! I’m sharing this with all my friends! Thanks for sharing.

Julie
If you really want to make this and all you have is the minute rice (although her recipe and method are of course the optimal way to go) then use stock in place of water. Vegetable, Chicken or Beef. Follow her recipe for browning the mushrooms, garlic, etc. Then once all is cooked just mix the rice into the pot with mushrooms. While thos wont be as good as hers it will somewhat work with what you have on hand. Hope this helps… Not intended to step on anyone…..
April